Polish Numismatic Society

Polish Numismatic Society finds its roots in the prewar organized numismatic movement. Its predecessors were: Numismatic Society in Krakow (founded in 1888), Warsaw Numismatic Society (founded in 1915, but with roots dating back to 1845), Numismatic Society in Poznań (founded in 1920), Lwów Numismatic Association (founded in 1925) and Numismatic Society of Bydgoszcz (founded in 1935)

During the prewar years Polish numismatists were associated in turns in: Polish Archeological Society, then in Polish Archeological and Numismatic Society and since 1991 in the present organization.

Polish Numismatic Society was founded at the convention from PNS in Wrocław, Polish Prehistoric Society in Poznan, Polish Numismatic Society in Krakow and Warsaw Numismatic Society. The Convention was organized with the patronage of Polish Academy of Sciences in Nowa Huta in 14-15 June 1953. Despite of forming of the Numismatic Section with L. Piotrowicz as its Chairman, the standstill ion the numismatic activities lasted, with the exception of Numismatic Circle of the Warsaw branch of the PNS, which published the quarterly Numismatic Bulletin (1953-55). The actual revival of statutory activities was brought about by local branches in the 1960s, with founding of numismatic circles and sections (1959 – Katowice; 1961 – Łódź, Wrocław, Poznań; 1962 – Częstochowa, Kraków, Lublin, Toruń; 1963 – Gdańsk and Gniezno; 1964 – Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Radom and Szczecin), at the end of the decade working in 31 branches with 1330 members. PNS published popular science periodicals Z otchłani wieków, (From the Abyss of Time), Biuletyn Numizmatyczny (Numismatic Bulletin) and scientific Wiadomości Numizmatyczne (Numismatic News). In 1971 the Society was renamed to Polish Archeological and Numismatics Society. Its chairmen were J. Kostrzewski (1953-70) and R. Kiersnowski (1970-71).

In 1971 PAaNS has been renamed to Polish Numismatic Society. The change was the result of more and more important role of numismatists in popularizing the subject by organizing several hundreds of exhibitions and public lectures yearly, vast publishing activities with catalogues and local numismatic periodicals, minting of numerous commemorative medals (e.g. series of Polish rulers, famous battles and national uprisings, Polish numismatists etc.); the Society organized numismatic and archeological conferences. In 1987 there were over 6600 members and ca 700 candidates organized around 98 local branches. The Chairmen: R. Kiersnowski (1971-1981), S. Suchodolski (1981-1987), L. Kokociński (1987-1991).

Polish Numismatic Society renamed in 1946 from Numismatic Society in Kraków, in 1953 incorporated into Polish Archeological Society. Reactivated in 1991 at the General Convention in Leżajsk as a result of the change of the name of PAaNS after most of the archeologists left the organization. It continues its scientific and popularizing activity in the field of numismatics. The Society is a member of International Numismatic Commission. The chairmen: Lech Kokociński (1991-1999), Tomasz Bylicki (1999-2000), Jerzy Piniński (2000-2001), Aleksander M. Kuźmin (2001-2003), Mariusz Mielczarek (2003-2013), Zbigniew Nestorowicz (2013-2015), Przemysław Ziemba (2015-). General Secretaries: K. Pikulski (1991-1995), A. Zając (1995-2015), Juliusz Bieniaś (2015-).

The highest executive and legislative power in the Polish Numismatic Society is the General Convention, summoned every two years, every four years being a Reporting and Electing Convention. In between the Conventions the Society is managed by the Board. So far there has been six General Conventions of Delegates, during which the most important goals for the activity of the Society were set: 1993 Wrocław; 1995 Częstochowa; 1997 Lubin; 1999 Mrągowo; 2001 Augustów; 2003 Konin, 2005 Sanok; 2007 Gorzów Wielkopolski; 2009 Słupsk-Ustka; 2011 Płock-Soczewka; 2013 Lubin; 2015 Krosno.

During the Wrocław Convention in 1993 the Statute of the Society was adopted. During the latest, 6th Convention in Konin some important changes in the organization statute were passed.

The main office of Polish Numismatic Society is in Warsaw, ul. Jezuicka 6/8, tel./fax. +48 22 831 39 28. The Society is active throughout the country. Its members are associated in 49 Branches and 19 Circles. At the moment (2012) it has 2500 members.

The library of PNS consists of 4000 volumes, 184 titles of national and foreign periodical publications, and 64 titles of local periodical publications published by the Branches and Circles of PNS. It is the biggest institution of the kind in Poland.

The publications are acquired in the foreign exchange with 26 foreign institutions, exchange within the country, few purchases and donations.

Polish Numismatic Society was founded answering the need of numismatic and collectors movements to organize in a single organization. After the transitional period, when numismatists were organized in Polish Archeological Society and later in Polish Archeological and Numismatic Society, it turned out that the numismatic movement is strong enough, and at the same time well organized enough, to form an independent Society.

The members of PNS recruited basically from all walks of life.

The goals realized by the Society are described in § 10 of the PNS Statute as follows:

The Society realizes its goals through:

  1. cooperation with the authorities, institutions and organizations interested in the Society activity, especially, for the sake of the Society activity, with the Ministry of Culture and Science and with the Polish Academy of Sciences;
  2. carrying numismatic studies and research;
  3. organizing sessions and scientific meetings, public lectures, organizing numismatic exhibitions and shows;
  4. familiarizing the society with the results of scientific research in published scientific and popular science periodicals and other publications devoted to numismatics;
  5. minting and distributing of historic and commemorative medals
  6. cooperation with numismatic departments and involvement in development of numismatic collections;
  7. introducing appropriate authorities and institutions to the opinions and postulates concerning numismatics;
  8. cooperation with similar foreign and international institution and propagating of Polish numismatics issues abroad;
  9. propagating and executing the ethic principles of a numismatist – a collector conscious of the historical and social value of numismatic collections;
  10. undertaking business activities, respecting all the relevant laws;
  11. organizing numismatic auctions and other forms of collector exchange.

The activities of the Society are financed by membership fees, subsidies for organizing scientific conferences, income from numismatic auctions organized by the society, and from sale of publications by the Society. The Society does not undertake business activity, and all the income is allocated for the statutory activity of the Society.

PNS has organized five International Numismatic Conferences in Supraśl with the participation of numismatists from Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine, Slovakia and Poland.

All the the materials from conferences were published in printed form.

There were also two international conferences in Sanok, devoted to widely understood numismatics of the Carpathian Region (1999 and 2002). Numismatists from Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland took part in these conferences.

Apart from the numismatic conferences organized by the Board of Polish Numismatic Society, each of the Branches conduct their own activity, especially in the field of popular science. These consist in lectures for the members (ca 500 a year), commemorative exhibitions (about 200 – 300 a year throughout the country), publications in the local press, etc.

Polish Numismatic Society is also active as a publisher.

PNS is a member of International Numismatic Commission. The Society has also signed the act of cooperation with the Slovak Numismatic Society and Byelorussian Numismatic Society. The cooperation consists, above all, in participation in the conferences organized by the signatories, organizing lectures, exchanging of the publications, cooperation with the periodicals published by the Societies, collectors exchange etc.

The Board of Polish Numismatic Society publishes one periodical – quarterly Biuletyn numizmatyczny (Numismatic Bulletin), published regularly since 1965.

The archives are kept in the office of the Board of the Polish Numismatic Society.

The history of the PNS is yet to be written

Numismatic Bulletin

Numismatic Bulletin is a quarterly published by the Board of the Polish Numismatic Society. First published in 1965 it is addressed to all the readers interested in numismatics: research workers, curators of numismatics departments in museums, historians of art and material culture, students and collectors.

Numismatic Bulletin deals with cataloguing, protecting and scientific study of numismatic items and finds. It publishes articles discussing issues concerning numismatics, phaleristics and medal engraving. This is the only periodical in Poland which catalogues and studies the substitute money.

The publication is distributed among members of the Polish Numismatic Society, libraries, numismatic departments in museums and also among individual subscribers. As a part of international exchange, it reaches 41 research institution throughout the world, thanks to which it became possible for the Society to collect its numismatic library – one of the most extensive ones in Poland.

For years the quarterly has enjoyed the prestige and has been respected in scientific circles in Poland and abroad.

It is subscribed by ca 700 members of the Polish Numismatic Society, sent to nearly 100 scientific libraries and museums in Poland and to 41 scientific and research institutions abroad.

The editors of the quarterly are: Jerzy Piniński (chief editor), Witold Garbaczewski, Łukasz Koniarek, Robert Pieńkowski.

Subscription in 2013

– 56 PLN – for local branches of the Polish Numismatic Society
subscribing for its members;
– 70 PLN – with the bulletin received at the head office of the Society,
– 70 PLN + shipping costs – with the bulletin mailed by registered mail to the address.

Please send the payments with the subscript “Prenumerata Biuletynu 2013 r.”
to the account number (the name of the bank is encoded in the number):
87 1240 2887 1111 0010 4605 4055
Subscription can be ordered in the office of The Board of The Polish
Numismatic Society, by mail, fax or e-mail.
Biuletyn Numizmatyczny, ul. Jezuicka 6/8, 00-281 Warszawa, Polska – Poland.
tel./fax: +48 22 8313 9 28; e-mail: ptn@ptn.pl

The editor’s office address:

Biuletyn Numizmatyczny
ul. Jezuicka 6/8
00-281 Warszawa
tel./fax. +48 22 831 3928

e-mail: ptn@ptn.pl